About Snakes
Mildly Venomous Snakes
Common Cat Snake
( Boiga Trigonata )
Name: Common Cat Snake ( Boiga Trigonata )
Length in mm: 250 mm at hatching , max ( 1250 mm )
Identification: Body long,thin and laterally flattened,scales smooth.Head distinctly broader than neck,large eye has vertical pupil.Top of head has a distinct,pale Y shaped mark,which is sometimes black edged.
Feeds on: Toads,small lizards,small birds.
Type of reproduction: Oviparous (lays 3 – 10 eggs in August – Sept )
Mating Season: May – June
Found in: Throughout India and the rest of South Asia, except Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Forsten's Cat Snake
( boiga Forsteni )
Name: Forsten’s Cat Snake ( boiga Forsteni )
Length in mm: max ( 2313 mm )
Identification: Body long and laterally flattened.Two main color forms,nearly uniform reddish brown back with dull yellow markings and forebody with angular grayish brown,brown or black blotches or bands that are interspersed with white patches.Hindbody has checkered pattern of snake colors.There is also a stripe from each eye to behind mouth.
Feeds on: Lizards,birds,even domestic chickens,birds eggs,bats.
Type of reproduction: Oviparous (lays 5- 10 eggs around April – May )
Mating Season: Feb – Mar
Found in: Western Ghats from Gujarat to Kerala.
Stout Sand Snake
( Psammophis Longifrons )
Name: Stout Sand Snake ( Psammophis Longifrons )
Length in mm: max ( 1230 mm )
Identification: Long stout bodied,smooth scaled,outer edges of belly scales rounded.Head elongate,tapers towards front,slightly broader than neck,distinct ridge between top and side of head,large eye has round pupil.
Feeds on: Lizards and geckos.
Type of reproduction: Oviparous (lays 5 – 12 eggs )
Mating Season: Sept – Oct.
Found in: Maharashtra and Gujarat ,north of Mumbai.
Common Vine Snake
( Ahaetulla Nasuta )
Name: Common Vine Snake ( Ahaetulla Nasuta )
Length in mm: 200 mm – 425 mm at hatching , max ( 2000 mm )
Identification: Long slender,smooth scaled,extremely pointed head has extended snout.Uniform parrot green color,often with white or yellow line separating upper body scales from belly scales. Eye has horizontal pupil.
Feeds on: Tadpoles,lizards,frogs,small birds,mice.
Type of reproduction: Ovoviviparous (gives birth to 23 young ones in March – December )
Mating Season: Jan – Feb.
Found in: Northeast part of India, South India